He was picked from a shortlist of 21 choices, which Mr Trump made public during the election campaign.

Accepting the nomination, he said: "It is the role of judges to apply, not alter, the work of the people's representatives. A judge who likes every outcome he reaches is very likely a bad judge, stretching for results he prefers rather than those the law demands."

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Media captionThe Supreme Court has been without a full bench for almost a full year.

Judge Gorsuch is a so-called originalist, meaning he believes the US Constitution should be followed as the Founding Fathers intended.

If successful, his nomination will restore the 5-4 conservative majority on the nine-seat high court.

Protests against Mr Trump's choice were held outside the Supreme Court following the announcement.

More on this story

Where does Judge Gorsuch stand on key issues?

Abortion: He has not spoken out about Roe v Wade, the case which legalised abortion nationwide in 1973, making in difficult to pin down where he stands on the issue.

Birth control: Judge Gorsuch has supported religious institutions which objected to requirements for employers to provide access to contraception. In one of his most high-profile cases, he defended the religious owners of retailer Hobby Lobby who refused to fund birth control via staff health insurance.

Gun rights: He hasn't ruled directly on firearms restrictions, but is thought to be generally pro-second amendment. He once wrote in a legal opinion that a citizen's right to bear arms "must not be infringed lightly".

Euthanasia: He has been vocal about assisted dying, writing a book in 2009 which opposed legalisation.

A conservative's dream: Anthony Zurcher, North America Reporter

Donald Trump's choice of Neil Gorsuch as his Supreme Court nominee is a fairly traditional pick in a decidedly untraditional time.

Judge Gorsuch has a CV and background that would make him a natural selection for just about any Republican president.

He's the kind of Supreme Court nominee evangelical and traditional conservative voters dreamed of as a reward for sticking with Mr Trump through the general election despite campaign missteps, controversies and occasional political apostasies.

They knew they would get a court pick they wouldn't like if Hillary Clinton won. They hoped they would get someone like Judge Gorsuch if Mr Trump prevailed.

They have to decide if they will try to derail Mr Gorsuch's nomination as retribution - perhaps forcing Republicans to break with another Senate tradition, the ability of a minority to a block a Supreme Court nominee with only 41 votes through a filibuster.

The party's base, feeling a liberal majority on the court was stolen from them, will demand lockstep resistance, likely setting up a divisive confirmation fight ahead.